This weekend is the Washington Brewers Festival at Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore—home, I’m told, to the “sweetest” playground equipment in Western Washington. And conveniently enough, on Saturday and Sunday kids are welcome. (There’s a Friday evening event that is 21 and over, see website for details.)

But the beer festival I attend every year takes place a fenced-in pen at Seattle Center. It’s the Seattle International Beer Festival and it’s kind of a a great way to wile away the Fourth until fireworks time, when I like to head over to the Pacific Inn Pub for partial views and well-priced pitchers.

I go to SIBF for the same reason that I go to Bumbershoot: I can walk there, and (more importantly) walk home. No need to lend moral support to the designated driver, no waking up dry-mouthed in a tent that smells of day-old beer—just suds and sun all day long.

The Festival runs from Friday July 3-Sunday July 5th and begins each day at noon. If you arrive within the first hour—the so-called “happy hour”—you receive five extra beer tokens (for a total of 15) with your entrance fee ($20). The food situation is typically a little dicey—last year they had excellent sausage sandwiches but not much else. Based on some of the stumbling antics I witnessed (not that I’m complaining, drunkwatching at SIBF is out-funned only by the fact that there are 150 different brews to sample) organizers would do well to invite some more food vendors in this year, but just in case they don’t I suggest eating a giant plate of pasta the way you might in preparation for some major athletic effort.

Also, please don’t be shy with the sunscreen. And consider leaving your shirt on the whole time, no matter how hot it gets.

And for God’s sake people, pace yourselves, lest you end up with a “beer sting” like the Big Lebrewski, whose fate at last year’s SIBF is documented here. Viewer discretion advised.

>